Kelly Hoppen

Kelly Hoppen

Kelly Hoppen doesn't want to fly the flag for glamorous middle aged women on 'Dragons' Den'.

The tough-talking interior designer - who will replace Hilary Devey on the BBC Two show - insists her primary aim is to represent herself as a businesswoman and showcase her intelligence.

She told The Sun newspaper: "It never crossed my mind it would be the role I'd be playing in 'Dragons' Den'. I am who I am. I'm proud of being 53 and I've always been healthy and looked after myself.

"If that in any way gives people inspiration, great. But I'm not there for that reason. I'm there because I'm an entrepreneur and I love business. I want lip gloss on while I'm on air, but otherwise, no."

The feisty star revealed she will surprise people with her tough love stance when she joins Duncan Bannatyne, Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and fellow newcomer Piers Linney on the show next month.

Kelly said: "I love talking to entrepreneurs and I love looking at businesses and seeing if I can turn them around and make them work. If I don't see something I like, I won't invest in it - I am a businesswoman."

Despite struggling with dyslexia, she insists her trouble with writing and arithmetic hasn't hampered her career and she is still razor-sharp.

Kelly explained: "I am bright as they come so don't be fooled. I might not be able to spell your name but I am nobody's fool."

It seems the designer - who is rumoured to have created the nursery for the royal baby - has already made a big impact on set, banning sugary snacks and helping fellow Dragon Duncan with his exercise plan.

The fitness fanatic added: "Duncan was just very open and said, 'Look, I am in the gym every morning - will you just tell me what to eat?' And I guess he just felt better doing it. So it was really as simple as that. He cut out pizza and pasta and has lost a stone."